CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Chattanooga senior Lakelyn Bouldin turned on the burners Thursday night at the McKenzie Arena to lead the Mocs to a 74-59 Southern Conference women's basketball win over UNCG. UTC (6-16) improves to 5-3 in league play and are part of a four-way tie for second that includes the Spartans.
 
Bouldin was 4-of-5 from the 3-point line and perfect from the charity stripe to lead all scorers with a season-best 25 points.
 
"More people are starting to get engaged, involved and producing," Chattanooga head coach Katie Burrows stated. "I said earlier, about Lakelyn struggling recently, that we have to get some people around her to start doing more."
 
She was joined in double figures by freshman Dena Jarrells, with a career-high 14, and sophomore Abbey Cornelius who was 6-of-10 from the field for 12 points.
 
NaKeia Burks added nine points for the Mocs and had a team-best seven rebounds. Cornelius pulled down six boards and Jarrells topped her previous best with five while also hitting a career mark for assists with seven dishes.
 
After getting off to a slow start and trailing the Spartans early, the Mocs bounced back with a 21-14 second quarter effort to lead 36-35 heading into the half.
 
"It took us a few minutes to get going," Burrows said. "I was never on edge or got worried. I could see it in their faces. They were still focused and still ready to go. They were just trying to feel it out and see what they had to do."
 
UNCG's Nadine Soliman scored 15 of her team-high 24 points in the opening period and was held to just nine the remaining three quarters. The emphasis at the end of the first was to slow her down.
 
"She made a couple shots and made a couple nice moves," Burrows said. "Once she starts feeling it, you can't give her an inch."
 
UTC came out in the third ready from the whistle and continued to build on that lead. By the start of the fourth period, the Mocs were ahead 54-43 and still stoking the flame.
 
UTC started the fourth with a 10-2 run to build its lead to 64-45 on a pair of Bouldin free throws with 6:16 to play. After a layup from Alexis Pitchford, the Mocs strung together another run, 8-2 this time, for a 72-49 lead on a jumper from Eboni Williams.
 
Te'Ja Twitty was the only other Spartan in double figures with 10 points and Aja Boyd had a game-best nine rebounds.
 
The Mocs topped the 50 percent mark in shooting for just the second time this season making 28-of-54 (51.9%) from the field and 7-of-14 from the arc. At the free throw line, the Mocs were 11-of-13 led by Bouldin who was 7-of-7.
 
After shooting 58.8 percent in the opening quarter, the Spartans were held to just 8-of-30 over the next two quarters and shot 24-of-61 for the game. They made just three from the 3-point line and in 13 trips to the free throw line, they connected on just eight.
 
The teams matched up on points off turnovers with UNCG edging the Mocs 16-15 while UTC had 40 points in the paint to 32 for UNCG. Chattanooga converted nine offensive boards into 11 points while the Spartans, with 10 offensive boards, scored just five.
 
UTC outrebounded UNCG 37-28 and got 21 points from its bench, led by Jarrells, compared to eight the Spartans.
 
Bouldin continues her climb through the Chattanooga record books. She moved past Jenaya Wade-Fray (2007-10) for 13^th on the scoring charts with 1,366 career points. She tied Wade-Fray for 3-pointers made with 214 in her four seasons.
 
UTC and the Spartans are tied with Furman and Wofford for second in the SoCon standings just one game into the second half of league play at 5-3.
 
Chattanooga will host Western Carolina who earned its first SoCon win last week at Mercer and are 1-7 against the conference.
 
The game is set to tip off at 2:00 p.m. at the McKenzie Arena. Girl Scouts who wear their uniform to the game can purchase a lower bowl ticket for just $10 and will receive a FREE Chattanooga patch! All members of the Scrappy's Kids Club will get two tickets to the game. Details in an email sent earlier.
 
After the game, the team will meet with fans and sign posters. Stick around to meet your favorite Moc! Tickets are on sale at GoMocs.com.